







In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
| Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
| Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
| Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
| Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
| Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
| Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
| Present simple example sentences | |
|---|---|
| To me, wasting it is weirder! | |
| Or worse, sometimes they throw a party at home! | |
| He hasn't realised that we are at a vet yet. | |
| Is that right? | |
| Hi, is your cat okay? | |
| I have no idea... But I hope they have a good excuse! | |
| No, because she is mental and can harm Pogo or Bear! | |
| Dear, who is it? | |
| Hello guys, is it possible to make a little less noise? | |
| It's always the same. | |
| Which appointment? Do you mean the house in Angel? | |
| Thank you again for giving me your turn. | |
| Sure, my name is Cate and my number is 077... | |
| Sorry, madam, Friday is one of our busiest nights! | |
| Then you can decide if I'm a good cook or not! | |
| You know tomorrow is my last day. | |
| He only does it when he is extremely stressed! | |
| Here you go sir, this is your receipt and your £20 cashback. | |
| It's £135 per week! | |
| I'm happy to hear that. | |